Next Best Thing
by Awesome Anonymous
Summary: She lived in a fairytale, but her story needed mending ― and along comes Prince Charming #2. Sasuke:Hinata:Itachi.


_Ooh~_

_[Nice Icon, dillz!]_

_I know, I know ^^_

_Oh, um, on to business!_

_Pair(s) — Sasuke x Hinata; Hinata x Itachi_

_Words — 800 or so_

_Rating — T — Reason: I don't know. Mature content is so much better!_

* * *

For the moment, she was keeping busy.

She was married.

She was. . .miserable.

Alone for almost over half of a day. She felt like a broken Cinderella: rescued from disaster to be found in a magnificent castle that only looked nice from the outside. People congratulate her; some people even admire and envy her — but for what? Having a handsome husband whose love was endless?

This love was being held up by pillars of sand.

Why couldn't she see it before?

She must have been blinded by the crystals — those shiny _rocks_ that can be located in sand.

They were so pretty though.

When he comes home it's so quiet, and she wonders if he feels the same as her: does he think that this. . ._thing_ is going to last? They have been together for quite some time now, and she could tell whenever he wasn't happy. What about him? Could he do the same for her?

Hinata watched Itachi go to sleep without saying a word to her that night, which means they didn't speak for the entire day.

She'll take that as a _no_.

Where did it go wrong?

For the moment, Hinata found herself sleeping for over twelve hours, on and off. She found it compelling that dreaming was her only way to escape and immediately go to — what were they called again? A happy place? She's never had such a thing.

"Hinata," Itachi called.

She wanted to go back to sleep.

"Yes?"

He wasn't in her dreams.

Neither was that suggestive look.

"Itachi, wait," she said.

Pushing him away, she explained herself.

She expressed her only resolve.

"I'm. . .tired."

Then he gave her that stare of silence.

"Fine," he said.

Now that she thinks about it, it may have always been wrong.

In another moment, she and Itachi went to a friend's holiday party. And there Hinata was, sitting alone by herself where he left her as he talked with other people. There she was: miserable, married, and keeping busy with swirling a glass of cider as she wondered why she was here — with him. People talk about them as if he saved her from loneliness and cross in love. Was that notion real? If she knew this is what tower-trapped princesses received, she would have bolted the windows.

"Hey."

And there he was, giving her something she hasn't been able to materialize in forever.

A genuine smile.

Sasuke smirked back and grabbed her arm.

"I don't like parties," he said. "Let's go."

Trustfully, she followed.

What if he was her Prince Charming? She has wondered this almost every time she saw him. He made her feel that magical five-letter word that she has convinced herself just wasn't meant for her. He noticed her; he spoke with her —he was everything his brother was not. She never wanted to let him go.

Maybe she shouldn't wish for such a thing — Itachi would surely see to it that they never saw each other again.

Especially after they left the party that she and Itachi came to together.

When he finally noticed his wife had left the party, Itachi realized something was wrong.

No — everything was wrong.

And he couldn't lose her to the one person he knew she would go to: his brother. The way Sasuke has looked at her since before and after they were married was undying. However, Itachi had that claim on her and at one point he thought that actually meant something.

Until he saw his brother wasn't at the party anymore either.

And Sasuke refused to wait anymore.

"Wait," she said.

He hesitantly back up, just being rejected by the main focus on his mind for months.

Hinata watched her second Mr. Charming, confused and livid.

She couldn't kiss — what about Itachi?

However, it wasn't as if he would notice.

Maybe she just made a bigger mistake than this marriage.

Sasuke backed up and irately exclaimed the truth.

"You're miserable."

Her eyes widened.

He could actually tell?

And the way he was staring, it practically said, "When are you ever going to be happy?"

She lost her voice, and he left.

He took that as a _never_.

And so did she — but she wanted what she hasn't truly had — _ever_.

So, for the moment, Itachi came home from the party earlier, expecting her to be there — hoping she was. Hinata found him outside the bedroom with a towel around her. She was very surprised at the pardoning gift in his hand. He smirked — she blushed with big eyes.

So, it seemed he wasn't _too_ late.

"Itachi. . ."

He usually stayed out much later than this.

And for the moment, Sasuke clawed at his wet face to keep himself from gasping when his knee jerked against the door. His eyes went big at the sound of plastic hitting the hardwood.

Shit.

Damn this closet for being so small.

* * *

_Uh-oh._

_Itachi, kind of feel sorry for you. . ._

_[But Sasuke Is A Better. . .Something]_

_[Favs, Reviews: Very Much Appreciated]_


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